Directory-holder.



No. 822,490. PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

' E. B. & F. A. TAYLOR. I

DIRECTORY HOLDER.

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PATBNTED JUNE 5, 1906.

E. B. & F. A. TAYLOR.

DIRECTORY HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND B. TAYLOR AND FRED A. TAYLOR, OF WALTHAM, MASSA- GHUSETTS.

DIRECTORY-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1906.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDMUND B. TAYLOR and FRED A. TAYLOR, citizens of the United States, residing at Waltham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Directory- I-Iolders, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawe ings, is a specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

In telephoning it is frequently desirable to be able to conveniently handle and manipulate the telephone-directory with one hand while holding the receiver with the other hand, and it is an especial convenience to have the directory remain open and fixed in any desired position and at any angle to the vision, so that without the use of the hands the name and number to be called remain all the time in fixed and plain View while telephoning.

Accordingly the aim of our present invention is to meet the above requirements, and to that end we provide a receptacle for holding the directory when not in use and having mechanism permitting said directory to be swung at a proper angle for opening and reading and having retaining means for clamping the book in open position when the place has been found. Besides these features our invention includes means permitting the ready removal of the directory for closer inspection, if desired.

The constructional details and further ad vantages of our invention will be more fully pointed out in the course of the following description, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, in which we have illustrated a preferred embodiment of our invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows, in side elevation, the clamping device. Fig. 4 is a central vertical sectional view thereof, showing the parts in reading position. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 represents in side elevation, parts being broken away, the supporting-bracket. Fig. 7 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail of the clamping device, showing the parts in position assumed by clamping a book; and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in perspective,illustrating the position assumed when holding abook open.

On a suitable base or back board 1, adapted to be screwed to the wall at 2, we provide a box-like extension 3, having a hinged flap 4 for providing a suitable cavity or receptacle 5 to receive a usual directory 6, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This box-like extension is located at the lower right-hand corner of the base 1 (or it may be reversed for the opposite left-hand corner) in proper position to support the directory and bring the top end of its back in position to be clamped by the clamping and supporting mechanism, which is secured to the middle of said base. Said clamping and supporting mechanism consists of the parts shown together in Fig. 1 and shown separately in Figs. 3 to 5 and 6, 7. A bracket consisting of a projecting rib 7 is secured by oppositely-bent ears 8 9 to the base 1 and provided with a tubular socketpiece 10, having its flat side 11 pivoted to said rib at 12 and cut away at 13 to permit a downward-tipping movement against an adjustable stud 14 for controlling the angular position of the parts, as desired. Mounted in the socket 10 is a pivot-post 15, provided with outwardly and upwardly extending fingers 16 for retaining the book and removable clamping portion, which is mounted on the upwardly-extending portion 17 of said post.

The clamping portion is shown best in Figs. 3 to 5 and comprises a central fra'me 18, from which project forwardly-opposite wings 19 20 and rearwardly-opposite end slides 21 22, connected by braces 23 24 to the frame 18 and centrally perforated at 25 26 to fit the post 17. Between the wings 19 20 we pivot a back-support 27 at 28, normally depending in the position shown in Fig. 3, but capable of being tipped at an angle, as shown in Fig. 4., to be engaged and held by the notched end 29 of a catch 30, having a thumb-pieceSl projecting at the upper end of the clamping device. This catch is caused to operate automatically by a spring 32.

Above the back-support 27 is a'leaf holder or spreader 33, pivoted at 34 and held in its uppermost position and lowermost position, as shown, respectively, in Figs. 3 and 4, by a spring 35. At the opposite sides of the backholder are clamping-plates 36 37, held "in place by a bolt 38 and provided with a clamping-bolt 39 and athumb-nut 40. r

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Our object is to provide means for normally retaining the directory 6 neatly and compactly housed, but yet permitting the 1nstant use of said directory in the different positions to which the user is likely to need it for reference, and it will be seen that by the above mechanism we have accomplished all these objects.

In use when it is desired to use the directory the operator even, though he may be holding the telephone-receiver in one hand can readily use the directory. He simply turns back the flap 4 and turns the book out ed ewise or perpendicular to the base or waTl, the tubular socket 10 being clamped tightly on the post 15, so as to tend to retain the directory 1n the position to which it is swung.

We have so arranged the parts as to meet the requirements of different situations of the telephone. The user swings the book to the proper angle to suit the light and can vary the height by. letting the directory hang in the vertical position, or he may pull it forwardly, thereby tipping the book to the angle indicated in Flg. 4:, (this angle being modified by the adjustment of the screw 14 with relation to the bracket.) The book is instantly held in this inclined position by the automatic engagement of the catch 30 with the upper end of the back-holder 27. The 0 erator turns the leaves as desired, and when t e place is found he spreads the leaves apart, as shown in Fig. 9, and pulls downwardly on the spreader 33, which snaps into holding engagement with the spread-apart leaves, as shown in said Fig. 9, and thus retains the book open.

When the telephoning is finished, the user simply turns the spreader 33 back to its position as shown in Fig. 3 and in doing so grasps the thumb-piece 31, thereby releasing the back-holder 27, so that the book is per mitted to fall to its vertical position, as indicated in Fig. 3, whereupon it is simply swung around into the receptacle 3 and retained in its original out-of-use position.

If it becomes necessary to take the book to the window or lamp, it is swung out as before and simply lifted, thereby sliding the clamping mechanism off from the post 17, and when the directory has been sufliciently inspected it is simply slid back in place and restored to its previous hanging position.

It will be observed that the bolts 38 39 are made longer than the thickness of the book and the plates 36 37 are made independent of the back-support, thereby permitting our device to accommodate itself to the increasing thickness of successive directories.

We have endeavored to devise a construction also which can be stamped or struck up from sheet metal inexpensively and one which will nevertheless be exceedingly strong and capable of rough usage.

It will be understood that we intend our invention to apply to any book similar in size or character to a directory.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A directory-holder, comprising means for engaging the back of the book, a vertical pivotal support therefor, intervening means permitting the book to be swung angularly to said vertical pivot, and an automatic catch detachably locking the directory and said back-engaging means when turned to said angular position.

2. A directory-holder, comprising means for engaging the back of the book, a vertical pivotal support therefor, intervening means permitting the book to be swung angularly to said vertical ivot, an automatic catch detachably locking the directory and said backengaging means when turned to said angular position, and means for varying said angular position.

3. A directory-holder, comprising means for en aging the back of the book, a vertical pivota supp'ort therefor, intervening means permitting the book to be swung angularly to said vertical ivot, an automatic catch detachably locking the directory and said backengaging means when turned to said angular osition, and a leaf-spreading device for holding the book open.

4. A directory-holder, comprising means for engaging the back of the book, a vertical pivotal support therefor, intervening means permitting the book to be swung angularly to said vertical ivot, an automatic catch detachably locklng the directory and said backengaging means when turned to said angular position, and a spring-actuated leaf-spreading device, arrangedvto snap into engagement with the open book upon being moved in one direction and to become inoperative when moved in the opposite direction.

5. A directory-holder, comprising means for clamping the back of the book, and pivoted supportin means therefor, the latter swinging in a horizontal direction and the former swinging therein in a vertical direction, and a yielding catch for automatically holding said back-holder in a raised position when swung forward at an angle to said supporting means, said catch projecting beyond said supporting means in position to be engaged readily by the operator for tripping the back-holder and permitting the same to fall downwardly.

6. A directory-holder, comprising a base, a bracket supported thereon having a socket member extending in a vertical plane and pivoted horizontally thereon, means permitting said socket member to have a limited swinging movement, a supporting device ivotally mounted on said socket member 1 or swinging horizontally coaxially thereof,

and a back-support horizontally pivoted in said supporting device to swing toward and from said bracket, said back-support having a clamp for ri idly clamping the back of a directory or the ike.

7. A directory-holder, comprising a bracket having an upwardly-extending post, a supportin device slidingly removable from and pivota ly mounted on said post, and clamping means for engaging the back of the directory, pivotally mounted in said supporting device for swinging toward and from said post.

8. A directory-holder comprising means for clamping the back of the book, a vertical pivotal support therefor, intervening means permitting the book to be swung angularly to said vertical pivot, and a lateral receptacle to hold the book when not in use, said receptacle being open at its side, and provided at its edge remote from said clamping means with 20 a movable flap for embracing the front edges of the book.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDMUND B. TAYLOR. FRED A. TAYLOR. Witnesses:

GEO. H. MAXWELL, M. A. J ONES. 

